Category: sweetener
Aliases: E961, Newtame, N-(3,3-dimethylbutyl)-aspartame, N-[N-(3,3-dimethylbutyl)-L-alpha-aspartyl]-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester, NTM
High-intensity dipeptide-derivative sweetener: N-(3,3-dimethylbutyl)-L-α-aspartyl-L-[[phenylalanine]] 1-methyl ester — structurally aspartame bearing a neohexyl (3,3-dimethylbutyl) group on the aspartyl α-amine. It activates the sweet T1R2/T1R3 GPCR heterodimer with far higher potency than sucrose. Acting locally in the gut lumen, intestinal and hepatic esterases rapidly de-esterify it to de-esterified neotame (the major metabolite) plus trace methanol; it is otherwise minimally absorbed and largely cleared via bile/feces. The bulky N-alkyl group sterically blocks peptidase cleavage of the aspartyl–phenylalanyl bond, so essentially no free phenylalanine is liberated — distinguishing it from aspartame and making it safe in phenylketonuria. It is non-nutritive and not glycemic.